a charlie christian replica: believing my ears or theory?

[FunkyKikuchiyo]

I'd try both wires, but start with the 38 - it seems like it would be easier to replace if you end up peeling it and starting again. You're probably in for a lot of experimenting. When I dove into blade pickups, I found an awful lot of things open to me to change! You'll probably answer a lot of your own questions once you wind it up and hear it. If any of us could make a stellar pickup first try (that wasn't based on something we've done many times before) we'd be geniuses. As it is, we're a bunch of guys trying not to drool on ourselves.

Wide is good. I'd use a wider blade in my pickups if I could, but I have space limitations unfortunately. If it ends up being too boomy, you can try using a few thinner pieces. I'll second what David said about the blade extending down. I haven't experimented with alnico and blades, but if what I've read on here is correct, you're going to need to do all you can to make it strong enough.

[frenchy]

Hi,
I am pretty damn impatient, indeed :-). I guess it is a common trap fort newbie like me. Thanks Funky to help me not to drown myself in too much experiments. Lets start with one blade, one wire, one try.
Thanks David :-) I think I will be proud when I will find a way to fix and adjust heights of the pickup :-))

For thickness and size of the blade, thanks you two: I just finish the cut of one new blade. I am not quite confident in the evolution of the blade (I will coat here, low carbon but still oxydation unfortunately) but she seems right.



Waiting for one wonderfull (sic) tamyia motoreductor, winding it and keep you in touch.
By the way, members of the french forum "lutherie amateur" developped a pretty good and cheap system for winding pickup. Not achieve yet but very capable persons are working on it. I assume most of you, being professionnal pickup makers dont need this kind of stuff, just in case.

See you and thanks again for your helps
Greetings

[Elias Graves]

What a very informative thread. I'd like to say "thanks" to all who posted.

I have a pickup on order and the conversations I've had with that maker were nearly identical to the conversation here.

Anyway, mine will be ready soon, although the guitar it's going in is not. Bummer. My goal was not to necessarily try to ape the CC 100%, but rather an interpretation of that particular style. I do know the builder used A2, a mild steel blade and 38 guage wire. Beyond that, I'm lost. :lol:

I'll post pics and samples when it's all finished.

EG

[salvarsan]

By the way, members of the french forum "lutherie amateur" developped a pretty good and cheap system for winding pickup. Not achieve yet but very capable persons are working on it.

Everyone:
Use Google Translate and check this place out: Lutherie amateur • Page d


There is a section called "luthier tools" or "outillage de luthier"

Excellent stuff there.

[frenchy]

- Beware, I am freeposting here so if a moderator wants to move I understand -
You're right salvarsan :-)
You'll find a huge amount of things regarding lutherie. For pickups, it is not music-electronics-forum.com (more a forum for the wood working part of the electric lutherie), but some people invest a lot of time in the pickup making practice so maybe some knowledge could be shared.
As you witnessed, I am not that fluent in english, but I can make myself understandable. So, if some of you want a translation on something, I am here.
Greetings,

Frenchy

[salvarsan]

- Beware, I am freeposting here so if a moderator wants to move I understand -
You're right salvarsan :-)
You'll find a huge amount of things regarding lutherie. For pickups, it is not music-electronics-forum.com (more a forum for the wood working part of the electric lutherie), but some people invest a lot of time in the pickup making practice so maybe some knowledge could be shared.
As you witnessed, I am not that fluent in english, but I can make myself understandable. So, if some of you want a translation on something, I am here.
Greetings,

Frenchy

Frenchy, your english is good enough because you have important ideas.
Thank you very much for mentioning "lutherie amateur".
It is a fine collection of ideas.

Here, the moderator is gentle.
But there are important rules.

Rule #1 -- Do not say that someone on this forum prefers sheep instead of women. Saying that insults the sheep.
Rule #2 -- See rule #1.

[cminor9]

Frenchy, your english is good enough because you have important ideas.
Thank you very much for mentioning "lutherie amateur".
It is a fine collection of ideas.

Here, the moderator is gentle.
But there are important rules.

Rule #1 -- Do not say that someone on this forum prefers sheep instead of women. Saying that insults the sheep.
Rule #2 -- See rule #1.

hahahahahahahahahahaha In the best possible way, you are one crazy mofo!

I usually stay in the guitar amps section, but I come over here for the wit.

[David Schwab]

hahahahahahahahahahaha In the best possible way, you are one crazy mofo!

I usually stay in the guitar amps section, but I come over here for the wit.

We are all insane here. That is the results of staring at the bobbin spinning round and round and round and...

Oh, and soldering paste is good on crackers.

[frenchy]

Thanks Salvarsan I'll try to remember that.
I guess the hypnosis state that comes with 20 minutes of winding activity is not a good point when some jokers behind start to say "when you'll wake up, you'll be my slave...your dog is the queen of the ball, try to respect her, remember she's a queen".
Now my winder is complete, I will build a panic room - a dog could survive, not my cats.

Anyway, thanks guys. David suggest to start a thread on the "Lutherie amateur" winder in the right section. I will talk to the members of the projects first, some newbies like me could be interested.

Frenchy

[David Schwab]

I guess the hypnosis state that comes with 20 minutes of winding activity is not a good point when some jokers behind start to say "when you'll wake up, you'll be my slave...your dog is the queen of the ball, try to respect her, remember she's a queen".

I listen to my iPod when winding. That doesn't stop my cat from sitting and staring at the wire....

[frenchy]

Good morning everyone,

I just wind the the pickup. I used the 36awg PE wire, while hoping to get enough space on the bobbin (Sorry Funky, I did not want to skip your advice, I had the wire and thought "I'll give it a try"....). Result: around 4500 turns, but a weird "pattern" (coil looks a little like a "S")...I assume there is a ton of parameters (tension, speed, etc. parameters that I read about, but I mainly need a LOOOOTT of practice). Anyway, I hope it will work.
I do not have my multimeter (somewhere in a box..had recently moved to a new house)..I will give you measures soon.



Because the LP Junior is far from being finished (just a bunch of wood right now), I will try to built a third arm to maintain the pickup near my Telecaster. I record and then upload it I dont know where in order to share the sound of this "I dont-know-what-it-is" pickup.
The cover is a piece of indian rosewood, just oiled.

Oh, I will try it but do you think one only alnico 2 bar will be sufficient to powered the pickup?


Thanks again for your kindness and helps guys.

Greetings,

Frenchy

[frenchy]

Hello,

here is something from lutherie-amateur.com. An Excel file build by Palimtoale that gives some interesting informations (resistance you should get, turns per travers, number of turns, etc.). You just have to give dimensions of your bobbin, type of wire (awg) and linear resistance.
I had some difficulties to translate some terms - if someone want to correct vocabulary, PM me please.
I hope this file will help newbies like me...It must first pass through the firewall of true pickup makers. Here you go guys

Excel pickups-palmitoale_Lutherie-amateur.com.xls

Greetings,

Frenchy

[frenchy]

Good morning everybody,

Damned.....1.11 Kohms.....Do you think it is enough ??? I know that the resistance is not the best way to assess a pickup, like a CC but it is very low....

[David Schwab]

Good morning everybody,

Damned.....1.11 Kohms.....Do you think it is enough ??? I know that the resistance is not the best way to assess a pickup, like a CC but it is very low....

How does it sound? I wind pickups with heavier gauge wire that come out to about 2k all the time, and they have decent output. The low reading is because you are using heavy gauge wire. The number of turns is more important than the resistance.

[frenchy]

Thanks David :-)
I was very scared.
I guess Alnico 2, due to the low resistance of the coil and the shape of the blade, will not be enough to get something out of my amp. Neos maybe.
I mount the pup and test it tomorow.